The implementation of even a noncomplex logic circuit in integrated circuit technology is made difficult because the number of gates required for the implementation increases exponentially with the number of bits in a word which the circuit is designed to accept. Thus, for example, a four-bit word in a "count ones" operation includes six ways in which two ones can occur, four ways to have three or one, and one way to have zero or four for a total of sixteen or 2.sup.4 combinations requiring sixteen gates. For an eight-bit word, on the other hand, there are 2.sup.8 or two hundred and fifty-six combinations requiring an equal number of gates.
It is well known that integrated circuit processing is difficult and that the yield from such processing determines the cost of the circuits. Certainly any expedient which allows the realization of any desired circuit function with fewer elements would obviously permit the function to be implemented with higher yields and thus lower costs.